Manufacture of boots and shoes



(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

- G. H. CLARK.

MANUFAG'TURB OP'BOOTS AND SHOES. N0. 399.83'7Q Patented Mar. 19, 1889.,

WITNESSES;- F 2 MVENTUF N, PETERS. Pmwumu m mr. Wnhlnglon. n.c.

' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

SHOE

PatentedM 9,1889.

G. H. RK.

ANUFAGTURB 0' TS AND UNITED STATES Farnmr FFICE.

GEORGE H. CLARK, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLARKRELASTING AND SHOE-TREEING COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,837, dated March19, 1889.

Application filed November 7, 1887- Serial No. 254,478. (No model.)

My invention relates to the manufacture of boots and shoes, and moreparticularly to a mode of lasting during the said manufacture.Heretofore in the manufacture of boots and shoes the ordinary last-thatis to say, the

r 5 last of the shape and dimensions designed for the special article tobe made is used in the boot or shoe throughout the entire operation ofmanufacture so far as any last is required. \Vhatever last is used forany given size of boot or shoe, the same or the same shape is usedthroughout. A certain di'fficulty arises in the manufacture. In somesteps of the process it is desirable to use a fore-part last and to havethe fore part remain in the boot 2 5 or shoe, while the rear part isremoved to make room for the top of the standard, to which the boot orshoe is affixed but the ordinary last of the same shape as that used toform the shoe, but with its rear part removed, 0 will not remain in theboot or shoe, but will tend constantly to slip backward when not held bya rear part in place, or some substitute therefor. Further, boots andshoes formed on the ordinary last and as heretofore made 3 5 tend todraw or wrinkle on the sides near the ball of the foot or a little tothe rear thereof after they are removed from the last. This tendency isgreatest on the inner side or edge; but it also occurs to some extent onthe outside. 40 My main object is to prevent this drawing of the leather,which gives aw rinkled and crushed appearance to the bootor shoe, andwhich tends to increase as the boot or shoe is bent, and also by thesame means to keep a fore-part last in 5 the boot or shoe during thatpart of the process of manufacture in which a fore-part last may beused. To this end my invention con sists in the method of lastinghereinafter described. I first form the shoe or boot in the ordinary Wayused to join the upper to the sole. I then remove the last used, asordinarily, to form the article, which is then beaten up as usual. Ithen insert a last which is enlarged laterally at the points hereinafterspecifically indicated, but approximately at the ball of the foot, andwhich is reduced on the upper part an amount practically correspondingto the amount of enlargement on the sides, so that the circulardimensions may be the same or a trifle greater. This distorted last iskept inthe shoe'orboot during the remainder of the process ofmanufacture in which a last is required, andthe result is that the bootor shoe is set at the points indicated in firm rounded or arched form,which will not draw 6 5 or wrinkle. The enlargements on the sides alsoserve the other purpose heretofore referred to. The distortionpractically'makes the last turn up more on the top and otherwise changesits shape in relation to the shoe or boot, so that it will. not tend towithdraw from the shoe, and the form of last may be used as a fore partlast with good effect for that reason.

It will be understood that the shape of the distorted" last, so calledby me, is a relative one-that is to say, it is distorted in a particularmanner in relation to the last used to form the boot or shoe in which itis used for the subsequent operations of finishing.

In order to more clearly explain my said invention, I have addedillustrations, in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 aperspective View of a ladys button boot made in accordance with this in-"ention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the last on which the shoe is firstlasted and formed.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the fore-part follower-last. Fig. 4 is asection thereof on line 5 5. In this figure the relative differencesbetween the original and the follower lasts are 0 indicated in dottedlines.

In carrying out this my invention. the upper of the shoe or boot isprepared by cutting and sewing in the usual manner, and is then lastedover the original last, after which the 5 said last is removed and theupper, outer, and inner soles are permanently secured together. Thebeating out is then performed. The fore-part follower-last is thenintroduced and the further work of completing and finishing I00 the shoeis performed.

The size and shape of the original last, and

consequently the size and shape originally given the intended shoe, is amatter of taste quite largely, and the size and shape of the fore-partfollower-last chosen With due regard to the original last. To this end Itake the original last a standard and produce a forepart follower-lasthaving contour difi'fering from the original last, as before described,and as further indicated in the drawings by dotted lines. The saidfore-part follower-last is crowded forward into the shoe by any suitablemechanism. A strain is put upon the fore part of the boot or shoe,particularly about the distorted or enlarged portion of the forepartlast, and as the same last remains in the shoe a long time it operatesto reshape and set the contour of the upper, so that when said last isremoved the shoe-upper is struck up better than shoes made in theordinary Way.

I claim as my invention 1. An improved mode of manufacturing,

boots and shoes, which consists in forming them upon a last in theordinary manner, then removing said last and introducing for the subsequent finishing a last distorted relatively to the last used to formthe said boot or shoe, substantially as described.

2. The process of manufacturing boots and shoes, consisting in firstforming the boot or shoe on a last in an ordinary manner, then removingthe said last and introducing for the subsequent finishing a lastdistorted relatively to the last used in forming the boot or shoe bylateral enlargements near the ball of the shoe or boot, substantially asdescribed.

3. The process of manufacturing boots and shoes, consisting in firstforming the boot or shoe on a last in an ordinary manner, then removingthe said last and introducing for the subsequent finishing a fore-partlast distorted relatively to the last used in forming the boot or shoeby lateral enlargements near the ball of the shoe or boot, substantiallyas described.

GEO. H. CLARK. Witnesses:

E. O. WRIGHT, C. B. TUTTLE.

